Ham radio helping lifelong hobbyists stay mentally fit in old age

It comes with all the benefits of social media but without "any of the downsides" — and one of Australia's oldest ham radio enthusiasts says it is also the perfect hobby for retirees looking to stay mentally sharp.

West Australian-based Norman Gomm took to ham radio over forty years ago and now aged 82 has no intention of signing off just yet.

"I find it's very good for me," Mr Gomm told the ABC amid a dazzling display of flashing lights and crackling radio static.

"I'm 82 years of age and you need to keep your mind working actively all the time," he said.

"Ham radio requires a lot of cognitive skills and a lot of understanding technology, so I find that's very good for keeping me active."

Operating under the call sign of 'Victor Kilo Six, Golf Oscar Mike,' Mr Gomm is able to converse with fellow ham radio enthusiasts "in just about any country on earth" depending on the time of day using an internationally recognised phonetic alphabet.

What is ham radio?

Operators, who often build their own units, communicate through handsets or Morse code via the radio frequency spectrum

Operators must obtain a foundation licence before being allotted a unique call sign

Call signs are based on country and state of origin and class of licence achieved

In 2016, West Australian astronaut Andy Thomas communicated with Mackay operator Shane Lynd via ham radio from the Russian Space Station

Australian ham radio icon Harry Angel was allotted a "silent key" — hammie terminology for a deceased operator — after he died in 1998, aged 106

"We're bound by regulation not to say naughty things over the radio waves. and we have a code of conduct which makes us behave relatively politely to each other," Mr Gomm said.

"It's just a general ethic among ham radio people that you behave well to each other.

"So it's got all the plusses of social media and none of the downsides."

And the topic mostly discussed among ham radio operators?

"The weather mainly," Mr Gomm said, with a dry laugh.

"On the international frequencies, the conversation tends to be a bit limited so we stick to topics like the weather and discussing equipment, but the thrill of it lies in making contact with someone on the other side of the planet."

Beaming out from the backyard

Fellow West Australia hammie Richard Oxley "keeps things pretty simple" and operates from a make-shift table in his backyard.

"I spend most of my day outside so it made sense to broadcast from here," Mr Oxley said.

"The guys overseas get a kick out of hearing the sounds of Australia, and well, I just dig being out here with my gear."

Legally blind since age three, Mr Oxley says he had "no trouble" getting his head around ham radio.

"I just took to it like a duck to water mate," Mr Oxley said.

"My particular model of radio has a 10-digit key pad so I can feel my way around no worries, plus I can just press a button and it'll tell me what frequency I'm on."

Mr Oxley counts as highlights commutations with researchers in Antarctica and other blind operators who are "mainly in the US".

"It's fun and you never get sick of making that first contact with someone from overseas," he said.

"Everyone's got a story to tell."

Though he came to ham radio later in life, the 48-year-old intends to continue with his hobby "until I cash the rent in".

Hammies hitching a ride into space

Ham radio operators are not just restricted to communicating with fellow enthusiasts on earth.

Secretary of the Wireless Institute of Australia, Peter Clee, said enthusiasts regularly funded and build satellites that are launched into space as ballasts aboard NASA shuttles with one such station existing on the International Space Station.

"It's actually a requirement of all the astronauts that go up there that they hold an amateur radio licence," Mr Clee said.

"Effectively, we are hitching a free ride up into space for our satellites."